Income Tax Zambia : Best Guidlines

The Income tax Act (Chapter 323 of the Laws of Zambia) is the legislation that governs Income tax in Zambia. Income tax is tax on profits made by Limited Companies, Partnerships and Self-Employed individuals as well as on emoluments earned by employees. All profit making organizations (Limited Companies and businesses carried on by Individuals or partnerships) have an obligation to pay Income tax on their profits. Similarly, all individuals in employment have an obligation under this Act to pay tax on their emoluments. An overview of some of the contents of the Income Tax Act are as follows:
Taxation of Business profits


Section 2 of the Income tax Act defines ‘assessable income’ as the amount of a person’s income liable to tax which may be included in an assessment and which remains after allowing the deductions, to which that person is entitled under the provisions of the Act. The assessable income is returned in an annual income tax return in accordance with section 46(1), 46(2) and 46(3) of the Income tax Act.
The provisions of the Act dealing with returns (in particular Sections 46 and 47) do not apply to taxpayers covered by Section 64A (2). Section 64A (2) excludes from Income tax, persons with turnover of K800, 000.00 and below. These have an obligation of paying turnover tax monthly at the rate of 3% of their gross turnover. This part prescribes the documents and other supporting documentation, which should be submitted with the returns in order that the Commissioner-General will determine with reasonable accuracy, the assessable income and the tax due. Part V also deals with penalties that are charged on late submission of returns. Section 64(a) empowers the Commissioner-General to estimate tax due from a person in the event that they fail to submit an Income tax return. Section 64(b) empowers the Commissioner-General to estimate tax due from a person in the event that their return is unsatisfactory.

The Tax Computation.
Legally speaking, the return must be accompanied by the Tax Computation, section 46 (2) (b).
Part IV (Sections 29 to 44) of the Income tax Act provides guidance on what items of expenditure are allowed to be deducted in ascertaining the taxable business profits. Generally speaking, the Income Tax Act allows as a deduction: -
(a) Expenditure incurred wholly and exclusively for the purposes of the business (S29)
(b) Revenue and not capital expenditure (S29)
(c) Losses brought forward from the same source, provided that a loss can only be carried forward for a period of five years (S30)
(d) Capital allowances, Investment allowance and Development allowance (S33 and 34)
(e) Approved fund deductions (S37)
(f) Payments in respect of technical education (S38)
(g) Subscriptions to professional bodies of knowledge relevant to the business (S39)
(h) Donations to approved charities (S41)
(i) Revenue expenditure on Research (S43)
(j) Deductions for bad and doubtful debt and deduction for employing a handicapped person (S43A and S43D)
(k) Any other deductions as prescribed by Section 44.
The sufficient condition is that except for capital allowances, all this expenditure must not be capital in nature.
Once the assessable income is determined and the tax assessed, an assessment will be sent to the taxpayer in accordance with Section 65(1) of the Income tax Act.

Provisional Tax

All taxpayers in receipt of income, other than emoluments from employment or office, are required to make advance payments in the course of the tax year, on account of their estimated tax liability. This estimated liability is referred to as Provisional Tax.

Under the Income Tax Act, all taxpayers whose income is not from employment are required to submit a return of provisional tax. The return should contain:

 - An estimate (based on information reasonably believed to be true) of the person’s income liable to tax;

 - A computation of tax based on the rates of tax applicable for the charge year;

 - A declaration by the taxpayer that it includes a full and reasonable estimate of his income for the charge year.

 - The deadline for the submission of the provisional tax return is 31st March, 2013. The 2013 charge year will run for 12 (Twelve) months, .i.e. 1st January to 31st December.
-  Penalties are charged for the late submission of the return.

 - If at any time during the charge year, the taxpayer discovers that his estimate of provisional income is incorrect because of changed circumstances in the business, he is allowed to submit an amended return.

- Where the Zambia Revenue Authority discovers that the taxpayer had under estimated his income by one third or more, penalties are chargeable.

- Provisional Tax is due and payable on the following dates for the 2013 charge year:

      1st installment –  31st March, payable by 14th April
      2nd installment – 30th June, payable by 14th July
      3rd installment -  30th September, payable by 14th October
      4th installment – 31st December, payable by 14th January

Note: The charge year 2013 and thereafter will cover (12) nine months, commencing 1st January to 31st December.

Taxpayer rights in Zambia.
Part XI of the Income Tax Act (covering sections 106-114) deals with the right of taxpayers to react to an assessment raised as above. Section 106 states, “Subject to the Commissioner-General’s power relating to assessment, every assessment under this Act shall stand good unless proved otherwise by the person assessed upon objection or appeal under this part”. This means that if the assessment does not accurately reflect the tax liability of a person, the person must produce evidence to this effect (i.e. object) within thirty days and the assessment may be amended (Section 108).

If the taxpayer is unsuccessful, he/she may appeal to the Revenue Appeals Tribunal (RAT) for further determination.